Highest ever carbon emissions

Obama visited Joplin yesterday, the American town that was hit by the worst tornado the US has seen in 60 years and while individual events can't be directly linked to climate change I am sick of stating that the general pattern of climate change predicts increasingly extreme events. The International Energy Agency have been shocked by the rise in carbon emissions in 2010, a six per cent rise from 2009, and they say the goal of keeping temperature rises below 2C is all but lost. That is utterly disastrous for the planet and the people.

Do our politicians care? Last week the Energy and Climate Change Committee decided not to call a moritorium on shale gas, despite it having potentially more carbon emissions than coal. Caroline Lucas remains a voice of reason in parliament: "Given the serious concerns outlined in this report, it is astonishing that the Energy and Climate Change Committee fails to reach the logical conclusion of recommending a moratorium on shale gas. Dismissing concerns, for example, on the grounds that UK regulations are stronger than in the States, while taking a ‘wait and see' approach here is highly irresponsible."

So much for Cameron's greenest government ever. Let's have 400 more Carolines elected to parliament.